Take-off in Nordic countries for biofuels from the forest industry!

Bioenergi

Svebio news

August 6, 2018

During the last months, a number of new innovative projects have been announced for production plants of biofuels from forest industries in the Nordic region – in Sweden, Finland and Norway. Most of these projects will be presented at the International Advanced Biofuels Conference in Gothenburg 18-20 September, 2018.

The string of new plants to be built makes a take-off for forest-based advanced biofuels. Examples of the most prominent, current Swedish biofuel projects are:

Biodiesel from tall oil. Sunpine in Piteå in northern Sweden is investing 250 million Swedish kronor in new capacity for 50 000 cubic metres of tall oil diesel, cooperating with Preem. Forest industry company SCA will invest 500 million Swedish kronor for 100 000 cubic metres of tall oil diesel in a cooperation with St1 refinery in Gothenburg to produce tall oil diesel as HVO biodiesel.

Methanol from wood. Södra, the forest industry company will build its first plant for upgrading methanol to fuel quality at the Mönsterås pulp mill with 5 000 cubic metres per year. More such investments may follow.

Pyrolysis of biomass. Setra will build a pyrolysis plant at the Setra saw mill in Gävle, in a cooperation with Preem to further refine the biocrude to high-value biofuels. Preem will invest in further expansion in capacity at its Gothenburg oil refinery to produce HVO biodiesel and have formed a cooperation with Fortum and Valmet for pyrolysis liquids production.

Bioliquids from lignin. At the Vallvik pulp mill of Rottneros, the technology developer Renfuel will produce Lignol, a lignin-based biocrude using organic catalysis, which Preem will further refine to high-value biofuels.